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Saturday, December 6, 2014

So WHO stole Christmas?

So WHO stole Christmas?

(WARNING - If you still believe in Santa, you’re in for a
shock if you read on)

Over the next few weeks, millions of children around the
world, will be deliberately lied to, misled and taught to believe that a fictitious
(and once noble benefactor), will spread good will and miraculous provision around
the world. In just a split second , this once in a year activity, will turn the
mundane into a day where hopes and dreams eventuate.

The educated and uneducated, rich and poor, believer and
none believer, young and old, black and white, will all teach their children to
give thanks for a fat man in a red jacket, who miraculously provides for their
“wants.”

The truth of the season will be purposely ignored due to man’s superior Intelligence in not
falling for an historical fact that a child was born into a poor family, and
spend his total life spreading good news to the rich, poor, sick and healthy, around his world.

In the latter part of his life (Jesus), he grew in
purpose and provided sight for the blind, food for the poor, justice for the
convicted felon, cleansing for the leper and hope (with miracles) for those
with a will to receive them.

All this without a red jacket, serving elves and
reindeer with names that rhymed.

It wasn't the Grinch that stole Christmas, it was us!

Intelligent, educated human beings that exchanged the truth
for a lie in the belief that a little bit of folk lore and myth would somehow
put fun into a season that says more about marketing than it does “joy to the
world”.

Children with more gifts than their homes can house, will once again
plead their deserving case for the latest “in thing”, whilst injustice is still
rampant, the sick continue to die in poverty whilst our primary concern is living
out a myth.

We do this by consuming more than we can eat, buying more than we
can financially sustain and living in “the moment,” for we have no regard for
the coming year, and its pending challenges that may require us to “tighten ones belt”. Yet most people unwittingly, think
that the word "Christmas" means "the birth of
Christ." By definition, it means "the death of Christ". How ironic, when faithless politicians and educators seek to remove Christ from Christmas, by calling it "Holiday season", and paganism (a religion itself), exchanges God The Father (as the giver of all life) for the pagan gods of Thor, Odin and St Nicolas, yet justify Christs removal on the basis of "other faiths being offended". Whatever slight of hand or mis-direction used among the media, one thing is sure! The spirit of Christ is alive and at work to draw all men to himself during all seasons.

However, the discerning believer is
not fazed by truth, as they understand and rightly discern the difference between
myth and truth. The world book encyclopedia defines "Christmas" as
such:

"The word Christmas comes from "Cristes Maesse", an
early English phrase that means "Mass of Christ." It is interesting
to note that the word "Mass", (as used by the Roman Catholics), has
traditionally been rejected by the so-called Protestants, such as Lutherans,
Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Pentecostals etc. The word
"Mass" is strictly a Catholic word and thus, so is
"Christ-Mass."

As previously
mentioned, the word "Mass" in religious usage means a "death
sacrifice." The impact of this fact is ironic for when the millions
of people are saying, "Merry Christmas", they are literally saying
"Merry death of Christ!" Furthermore, when the fat man in the
red suit laughs his "Ho-ho- ho, Merry Christmas", he is in fact erroneously
(or intentionally), inferring the opposite of his supposed Christmas cheer. Christ was not crucified during the Christmas season, and we don’t celebrate
his death but rather his birth and life, (filled with hope).

So, as millions of parents around
the world are queuing to place their little children into the fat man’s waiting
arms, and being serenaded with false prophesies and promises of gifts being “air dropped”
down the chimney; just consider the words "Merry Christmas”.

So what’s the truth about
Christmas?

"Whilst thebirth
year of Jesusis estimated among
modern historians to have been between 2 and 7 BC, the exact month and day of
his birth are unknown. His birth is however mentioned in two of the fourgospels. By the early-to-mid 4th century,
theWestern Christian Churchhad placed Christmas on December 25, a
date later adopted in the East, (although some churches celebrate on the
December 25 of the olderJulian calendar),
which currently corresponds to January 7 in the modern-dayGregorian calendar. The date of Christmas may
have initially been chosen to correspond with the day exactly nine months after
early Christians believedJesus
to have been conceived, or with one or moreancient
polytheisticfestivals that occurred
nearsouthern solstice.

The celebratory customs associated in various countries with
Christmas have a mix of pagan,pre-Christian,Christian, and secularthemes and origins. Almost all the rituals associated with Christmas are of pagan origin. C.H. Spurgeon said "

"Those who follow the custom of observing Christmas, follow not the Bible but pagan ceremonies."

The
custom of the Christmas tree,developed inearly modern Germany(where it
is today calledWeihnachtsbaum orChristbaum or
"Tannenbaum") with predecessors that can be traced to the 16th and
possibly 15th century, in which "devout Christians brought decorated trees
into their homes. "Christmas trees were hung inSt. George's Church,
Sélestatsince 1521.It acquired popularity beyondGermanyduring the second half of the 19th century.The Christmas tree has also been known as the "Yule-tree",
especially in discussions of its folkloristic origins.

“He
who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” ― Roy L. Smith

The Fat Man in a Red Coat
–

Several closely related
and often interchangeable figures, known asSanta Claus,Father Christmas,Saint Nicholas,
andChrist-kind,
are associated with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season and
have their own body oftraditionsand
lore. Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival
involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians,
the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers
and businesses. The economic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown
steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world.

Christmas Spirit –

Much of what surrounds Christmas
is actually misguided tradition and pagan ritual. Yet one has to at least give mental ascent to
the traditions one engages in. The media at large present Christmas erroneously
and with bias. Our TV’s will belch out a “Hollywood” take on Christmas, with
barely a Christian accuracy amongst it. Crime rates and family violence will
soar as relationships strain under the pressure of “forced giving” and “Yule-tide
cheer”, and the effort of “being with family” loses its gloss when plied with
copious quantities of alcohol and other stimuli. Yet amidst all the mayhem and
hype there is a message screaming to be heard.

Matthew
1:23 "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call
him Immanuel" (which means "God with us").

Christmas
is about having “God with us”. Central to our activities is “God with us”.
Central to our actions, attitudes and behaviour, is “God with us”. The true
spirit of Christmas is having “God with us”.
In this mixed up folk lore ridden marketing event, is a time where God
came to earth with a plan of salvation (to buy back or redeem) for mankind;
where peace, justice and mercy reign around the world. It begins with one
person at a time and with a decision to hope and believe in God with us or a fat man
in a red suit. The choice says more about our willfulness, than ones intellect.

So
when those childish, innocent eyes focus on you this Christmas, would you
rather they observe in you, the truth or folklore?As an adult, we have the freedom to choose
what we believe. As a child, we trust in the stories were told. The wise men were wise, because they were seeking out Jesus, "God with us".

Baby in a crib
or fat man in a suit – you choose!

“Then the Grinch thought of
something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store?
What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!”―Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Coaching 4 Life Blog

About Me

I enjoy bringing the best out of people and being a part of a global family. I operate Coaching 4 Life ltd and travel as an itinerant Pastor and support worker in most aspects of leadership development.
I have traveled extensively to speak @ conferences, congregations, leadership seminars, businesses and coaching clinics. Most recently, my focus has been in the education sector, providing quality control, workplace assessment, academic and curriculum development.

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My intention with this blog, is not to deluge the "blogasphere" with meaningless chatter, or even to gain accolade among my peers. It is a place where I can collate the myriad of thoughts and musings I have floating around my mind. To those of you who are reading, I hope it in some way spurs you on to at least think.

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